Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus sign economic union pact

AN AGREEMENT to form a Eurasian Economic Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus was yesterday signed in the Kazakhstan capital Astana, with Vladimir Putin calling the event a “historical milestone”. The agreement was signed by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and Russian President Putin, and follows on from the previous customs union the countries had established in 2010. The Eurasian Economic Union will establish a free trade zone between members, with free movement of capital, goods, services and workers.